The first private rocket launch in Japan ended in failure – Kommersant

The launch of the Kairos rocket, created by the startup Space One, was unsuccessful. The light-duty solid-propellant rocket exploded seconds after it left the ground, reports Reuters. If successful, this could be the first rocket launch in Japanese history by a private company.

At the same time, as the company itself notes, the explosion was the result of the launch of the rocket’s self-destruction mechanism. “The rocket stopped flying after it deemed it would be difficult to achieve the mission objective,” said company President Masakazu Toyoda. The company noted that the entire launch process is almost completely automated and the decision to self-destruct is made by flight algorithms if critical errors are detected, such as deviation from the specified course and speed, or errors in the control system. So far the company does not know what exactly went wrong during the launch.

Space One was created in 2018 and is developing launch vehicles that can launch small loads (up to 250 kg) into low-Earth orbit, and loads weighing no more than 150 kg into sun-synchronous orbit.

Space One’s major shareholders and technology suppliers include Canon Electronics, rocket engine maker IHI Aerospace and construction company Shimizu. After the poor launch, Canon Electronics shares fell 12.7%, but later recovered some of that decline and are now trading 7.5% below their Tuesday close. Shares of IHI and Shimizu are down about 1%.

Kirill Sarkhanyants